Contamination
by Kemnam
Summary: Bakugo was used to people hating him, but her... if she never spoke to him again, never smiled at him when she caught him staring at her, he didn't think he would be able to take it. But he couldn't really say that he blamed her. After all, it was his fault they were in this mess. But as he looked up at her, he realized that if she forgave him, then that would be so much worse.
1. Decontamination

_Dsiclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or its characters._

* * *

It had been a trap.

Bakugo's ears were ringing. His insides felt like mush and someone had left his brain on vibrate. Propping himself up on his elbows, grenadiers digging into the hard, concrete floor, he managed to lift his head up through the nausea and look around. The villain's layer was destroyed - a distinct smell of ozone lingered in the air, the walls were crumbling, and the ceiling was likewise in pieces. Groaning as he sat up, Bakugo quickly tried to piece together the scattered shards of his mind. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened. All he knew was that explosions were supposed to be his thing, and it angered him to no end to think that the shitty Villain Alliance thought they could use one against him. Luckily, he seemed to be okay. There was a nasty gash in his thigh and he was covered with small cuts and scrapes, but that seemed to be the worst of the damage. Nothing major was broken, and aside from being shaken up, he could move just fine. That was a miracle in itself.

Except it wasn't a miracle. Someone had saved him.

"Fuck." Bakugo coughed out as he peered through the dusty air, searching the rubble. Finally, his eyes spotted her light pink helmet. Cursing as he stumbled his way over to her, hot emotions of anger and panic bubbled up in his chest. Dammit, why the fuck had she been following him? What the hell had she been thinking? As he rolled heavy stones off of her body, Bakugo scanned her for serious injuries. Thankfully, like him, she seemed relatively unharmed aside from cuts and scrapes. She was even awake, her eyes staring at something a thousand miles off in the distance through the cracked visor of her helmet. Bakugo, becoming more alert by the second, tapped her cheek and tried to get a response out of her. The smell in the air was starting to raise some red flags in his mind. They weren't safe yet. Whatever kind of bomb those bastards of the Villain Alliance had manufactured... it had done something more than just explode. Concern formed a heavy knot in his stomach, causing him to work hastily.

"Hey, Pink Cheeks." His voice was raspy, tongue tasting like ash. "Fucking look at me, dammit!"

And she did. But Uraraka's eyes weren't seeing him. She probably couldn't hear a single word he had said. Bakugo cursed. She was shell shocked. Perfect. A small twinge of worry for her somewhere behind his heart made him pause and consider what to do next. Knowing that he couldn't wait around for her to regain herself, Bakugo worked his hands underneath her neck and knees. They needed to get the hell out of there. Scooping her up into his arms, Bakugo hoisted her up onto his grenadiers and gracelessly flopped her head up over his shoulder. Her breaths - short, shallow, and laced with a small whine - puffed against his neck.

Bakugo felt sick, and he wasn't sure if it was her pain or the atmosphere that was the cause. Standing on shaky legs, he took a couple of unsteady steps forward before picking up his pace. If Uraraka was uncomfortable as she bounced against him, she didn't say anything. As he trotted through the wrecked halls of the compound as fast as his weary legs could carry him, Bakugo's eyes drifted to down to her cracked visor. Uraraka was not the kind of girl to stray too far from her team, not like him. She didn't go off on her own. So why? Why had she been there? Where were the rest of their classmates? Prior to the explosion, Bakugo had heard the ambient echoes of skirmish drifting through the walls, battles of U.A. against the weak underlings that the League of Villains had managed to dig up. Now, however, it was eerily quiet, and the only sounds was the scraping of his boots over the floor.

Wait, those weren't his boots...

Before Bakugo could slip back into fight-mode, Deku rounded a corner up ahead of him. He frantically looked down both ends of of the hallway, freezing when he spotted his classmates.

"Kacchan! Uraraka!" He rushed towards them, eyes wide with worry. The girl in Bakugo's arms finally reacted to the voice of her friend, lifting her chin from his shoulder. Bakugo, despite his relief, instinctively flinched back. A sudden memory of something he had read about regarding hazardous catastrophes flashed through his mind. What if whatever was in that bomb was contagious?

"Stay back, you damn nerd!" He shouted as he clutched Uraraka tighter. Deku skidded to a halt a couple yards away, just as the last of Bakugo's strength slipped away. His knees gave out on him, and he tumbled to the floor with a growl, holding tight to Uraraka. She was beginning to move a little. Her breaths came ragged, like his, and small groans escaped her. Eyelids feeling heavy, Bakugo looked up at Deku. The stupid look of confusion and worry on the other boy's face was pissing him off. But he knew he needed to explain what had happened if he wanted to get out. It was already hard to talk without Uraraka's weight compressing his lungs even more.

"There was... a trap, in the last god damn room. Fucking bomb, I think. I don't know... feels like I got hit by a goddamn nuclear reactor..."

The more he spoke, the more winded he became. Deku's mouth dropped open as his eyes widened, swirling with shock and concern. But he broke himself out of it and put a finger to his ear, speaking quickly to the people on the other end of the piece. Bakugo looked down to the girl in his arms. She seemed to be regaining awareness of her surroundings. Her arms were wrapped around Bakugo, the soft pads of her fingers ghosting over his back. Her face was pale and pinched, eyebrows drawn together and bottom lip tucked between her teeth. His heart clenched at the sight. She wasn't supposed to cry. The strongest girl he knew wasn't supposed to be crying. Why the hell was she crying?

"After you went charging off by yourself, Kacchan," Deku started, capturing his attention once again. "We learned that Tomura Shigaraki wasn't here. Uraraka... she went off to find you, to tell you that... that something wasn't right." Despite the shake in his voice, Midorya's eyes were fiercely boring into Bakugo's, flaring with something that Bakugo had only seen when directed at someone else - rage.

Suddenly it made sense. He had taken out his ear piece, because he didn't need somebody in his head telling him who to punch. If anybody was going to find Shigaraki in this damn maze of halls and rooms, it was going to be him. At some point, he thought he had heard someone calling his name... but he had simply ignored it. Bakugo gritted his teeth, hands unconsciously gripping her tighter. If he had taken one or two more steps into that room, if he had been any closer to that fucking bomb, if she hadn't yanked him back...no, if he had just fucking listened, then this wouldn't have happened. Instead, she got caught up in his massive mistake.

"If Uraraka's hurt in anyway, I... I..." Deku trembled as he spoke, but it wasn't from fear.

He didn't need to finish. Bakugo couldn't find it in himself to admit that he would blame himself, too. Guilt settled like a heavy blanket across his shoulders.

Men in hazmat suites finally arrived, and Bakugo was escorted out of the building, his arms still full with Uraraka. Too shaken to stand, Uraraka tightened her grip on Bakugo's shirt and pressed her mouth into his shoulder. He didn't mind. Carrying her was the least he could do - his burning arms were just going to have to deal with it. Deku followed at a nearly safe distance, his eyes never leaving the silent girl who clutched onto Bakugo like a lifeline. It was only when they were finally outside that Deku was forced to stay behind along with their other classmates. They all watched as Bakugo and Uraraka disappeared inside a small blue plastic tent.

Once inside the tent, Bakugo twisted his head toward Uraraka's, and spoke in a low voice. "I've got to put you down now."

He hadn't been expecting a response, so when she nodded against his neck, part of him felt immensely relieved.

Gently setting her down, Bakugo kept one arm behind her back for support. Uraraka was a little wobbly, but steadied herself against his shoulder. She still hadn't said a word, and kept her eyes fixed down to the floor. Uraraka looked about as sick as Bakugo felt, but she stood straight and refused to let her pain show on her face. Someone swept a Geiger counter over their bodies, the rapid clicking loud enough for all to hear. Uraraka flinched at the sound, and Bakugo could hear her breathing quicken. They were hot, someone said, but they wouldn't know if they were in danger until they got them back to the facility. Bakugo carefully watched Uraraka as they spoke, unconcerned by the implications of those words. He was gauging all of her reactions, looking for a sign that she was okay. She never took her hand off of his shoulder.

They were showered in cold water, scrubbed with stiff brushes through their clothes for what seemed like an inordinate amount of time. Then they loaded into a van and taken to the nearest decontamination facility. Huddled next to each other, Uraraka shivered against Bakugo. Water dripped from her hair and face. Her helmet rested in her lap, arms wrapping around the thing tightly. Her face was pale - even those cheeks that he always gave her crap for seemed sallow and thin. Bakugo found himself staring at her, a stone of remorse in his heart. She was trying so hard to be strong right now, and he couldn't help but admire her for that. But she was trapped in her mind with dark thoughts, thoughts that might have been doing more damage than any bomb could. He frowned, not sure what he could do, how he could ever begin to make up for his own incompetence. It left a sour taste in his mouth. But he wanted to do something, anything to try to bring back the bubbly girl that he liked best.

Lifting his arm, Bakugo laid it across her shoulders. He was wet, too, but at least he was slightly warmer. For once, Bakugo was thankful to have the internal temperature of a volcano. Uraraka looked up at his touch, meeting his eyes and truly seeing him for the first time since the explosion. Her brown eyes sparkled, and she was so close to him that he could count the fibers of her irises. The smell of her damp hair wafted up to his nostrils - sweet, like mountain air, even after everything. He didn't know what his own face was doing, but he sure hoped he looked stronger than he felt. Uraraka's mouth parted slightly, but no words came out. Her face tensed, eyebrows pinching together. Small, almost unnoticeable tears glistened quietly in the corners of her eyes, but she dipped her head back down before he could see them fall. Bakugo thought that was all he was going to get from her, until she shifted closer to him, pressing her hip against his and leaning into the crook of his armpit. Settling her head onto his shoulder, Uraraka stopped shivering and huffed a content breath. His hand drifted down to her forearm, his thumb rubbing comforting circles into her costume.

Her closeness made Bakugo's guilt worse - he didn't deserve her trust, her faith, or her forgiveness. But since his uncanny gesture of kindness helped her feel better, he said nothing. Turning his head towards her, Bakugo's lips brushed her hair and he closed his eyes.

This was good, Bakugo thought to himself. This was helping. It didn't change the fact, however, that they were only in this situation because of him.

The rare moment of tenderness didn't last long. They arrived at the facility, and were quickly rushed to the decontamination area, which turned out to be nothing more than a line of showers and observation rooms. A doctor quickly gave them the low-down; they needed to take another shower, this time with their clothes off, and place their garments in plastic bags. After the shower, they would be separated and observed for 24-hours. If neither of them showed any sign of radiation poisoning, then they would be let go. Their costumes, unfortunately, would have to be burned. The school would make sure they got new ones in a timely manner.

Being in that decontamination unit made the situation starkly real. Uraraka and Bakugo had gotten out by the skin of their teeth. And they weren't out of the woods yet. It was deeply unsettling to know that they almost didn't make it.

The doctors, nurses, and other personnel all left to give them a semblance of privacy. There were three showers, the stalls separated with steel walls. The plastic bags along with a set of scrubs for each of them were laid out on the bench next to them. As much as it pissed Bakugo off that his costume would be destroyed, he already knew that his grenadiers were useless after the first shower. With a sigh, he took a step forward - but was stopped by a tug on his shirt. Uraraka's hand loosely held the fabric, her posture closed and submissive. She didn't look at him, but he could see her intentions in her eyes. His heart fluttered, unsure he if he was capable of being the person she needed. But he had to try. The young man turned to her, feeling her fingers trace over his abdomen as he did. Huffing a sigh through his nose, Bakugo took her hand.

"Come on, Uraraka." He gave her a gentle tug. "Let's get this over with."

Leading her towards the showers, Bakugo turned on the center shower to as hot as it would go, then turned it down just a tad. Uraraka wandered over to sit on the bench next to the plastic bags and the scrubs. Her shoulders quivered as she clutched her helmet. Bakugo knew that she couldn't last much longer. She was breaking down, and fast. Now that they were alone, just the two of them, it was harder for her to keep up the brave face. He couldn't blame her for being scared; what they had experienced was no small ordeal. It was just Bakugo's luck that he dealt with similar situation on a daily basis. He would deal with his own trauma in his own way at a later time - probably But seeing her like this, hanging on to her strength and dignity by her fingertips, was hurting his heart. She was trying so hard not to fall apart, to not be the fragile girl that he already knew she wasn't, and it was damaging her even more.

He had done this to her. This was his fault. They were here because of him. He needed to do something. But he knew that nothing he did would ever be enough to make up for what had happened. Not in a million years.

Kneeling in front of her, Bakugo gently laid his gloved hands over hers. She flinched at his touch, but refused to let her tears fall. Delicately, he pried the helmet from her and placed it on the floor.

"We need to get undressed, okay Pink Cheeks?" Bakugo asked in as gentle of a tone as he could muster, but his voice still came out rough. Uraraka gave a slight nod and began fingering off her gloves.

Without really thinking about it, he began working on her boots, unzipping them and sliding them off of her feet along with her socks. Her small toes tapped lightly against the floor. Moving up, he deftly undid the belt around her waist, letting it clink unceremoniously on top of her boots. Uraraka had managed to get one of her gauntlets off, but her hands were shaking so bad, and her fingers fumbled clumsily at the other one. Bakugo intervened, brushing her hands aside and pulling it the rest of the way off, adding those and her gloves to the pile on the floor. His hands moved up slowly towards her face. Fingers sliding around her neck, he unclasped the collar meant to protect her spine and added that to the pile as well. She was left only in her torn spandex suit, trembling and starting to whimper. The small sounds tore him apart. Figuring she could take off the suit herself, Bakugo stood up straight and held his hands out to her. She took them, and he pulled her to her feet.

"Okay, great. You're doing great. Now come on." His words sounded silly to him, but Uraraka wasn't laughing.

The water might have been a little cool for his liking, but that probably meant it was perfect for her. With a gentle nudge, Bakugo ushered her under the stream of water. The shower heads were the kind that hung straight overhead, allowing the water to fall down over the girl like heavy rain. She let go of his hand, inhaling sharply as the water cascaded over her. Closing her eyes, Uraraka stepped into the stream, letting the water stream through her dirty brown hair. Bakugo watched her, watched as the water made her suit cling tighter to her body, watched as small trickles of red and brown drained down her ankles from numerous scraps and cuts. Bakugo stared at the blood, unsure what he hated more about this situation; that he had almost gotten Uraraka killed, or that she might be permanently traumatized because of his actions. If Bakugo alone had been caught in the explosion, that would have been one thing. But to have someone else be dragged into it with him was something completely different. Especially when that someone was Uraraka - another log to add to the fire. Bakugo's lips pulled back into a snarl as cold, unrelenting anger at himself cut through his chest because _holy fuck_ had he messed up big time. But he wasn't willing or prepared to deal with that right now. She couldn't see him breaking down, not now. Spinning away from her, Bakugo sat down on the bench and began removing his boots.

When he was down to just his shirt and pants, and had already put both his and Uraraka's gear in bags, he turned towards the showers, making his way towards the one to the left of Uraraka's. He felt like he was sleepwalking, his mind fogged with exhaustion and limbs heavy. Bakugo sneered. He shouldn't be this tired...

"Bakugo..."

Her voice was so small, competing with the sound of running water, that he almost didn't hear her. For the first time since the explosion, Uraraka finally spoke to him and he could hardly recognize her strained voice. It made his breath hitch in his chest. He froze, refusing to look at her, deathly afraid of what he might see. Did she blame him, too? Did she hate him now? Bakugo was used to people hating him, but her... if she never spoke to him again, never smiled at him when she caught him staring at her, he didn't think he would be able to take it. He couldn't say that he would blame her, though. He was responsible for their predicament. But when he looked up at her, to the water dripping down her face that very well could have been tears, and the small smile on the corners of her lips, Bakugo just knew that her forgiveness would be so much worse.

"We... we almost died," She whispered. Her hands trembled as they gripped at the waist of her suit. Her chin dipped, bottom lip trembling. "I... you... almost didn't make it... I was so scared..."

"Uraraka..." Her name felt like a swear word to him - a name that he had no right to call her after what had happened. A vice gripped his heart, making it impossible for him to breath.

"I... I don't know... mmhhh..." She choked back a sob, despite the smile on her face. "I don't know... what I would have done... if I had lost you..."

His body moved before he could think. Stepping into the streaming water beside her, Bakugo quickly wrapped his arms around her, one hand pushing the back of her head into his shoulder. That was enough for Uraraka to finally slip over the edge, and she openly bawled into his chest, her hands grasping the back of his shirt. He could feel how much she was shaking, and gently eased her to the tile floor of the shower with his legs underneath her for support. As the hot water drenched his body, all the little cuts and scrapes began to sting as they were cleansed. Their blood mixed together in the water as it went down the drain. She leaned heavily against him, and Bakugo found himself whispering small phrases to her as she wept.

"It's okay now," he breathed out to her. "I'm here." Those two phrases tumbled out of his mouth ad nauseam. His heart hammered against hers, impossibly loud in his ears as they clung to each other.

How... how could he ever even hope to call himself a hero if he couldn't even protect the people that were trying to help him? How could he be number one if he put others in danger? How could he bare to live with himself... if he hurt the people he cared about? First it was All Might, and now...

"I'm so glad..." Uraraka mumbled against his chest. "That you're alive, Bakugo."

Her words, though kind, were like a knife through his heart. Gritting his teeth against the roiling emotions in his chest, Bakugo allowed himself a small comfort by burying his face into the crook of Uraraka's neck. He didn't deserve this. Far from it. She should be mad at him, screaming and kicking and trying to tear him a new one for being the piece of shit that he was. For endangering her life so carelessly. But Uraraka was holding him close, her lips pressed to the curve of his jaw as she continued to cry out her woes. It became unclear who was comforting who. Was he crying now, as well? It was hard to tell with all the water running down his face. All he did know was that neither of them could pretend to be strong any longer.

It was here, under the hot water of the shower in the decontamination unit, where Bakugo and Uraraka held each other as the terror, guilt, and sorrow was cleansed from their bodies along with the hazardous materials that had almost killed them. Here, where Bakugo realized how much farther he had yet to go, how much more he had to learn - about being a hero, and about himself. Comforted with resolve but still heavy-hearted with regret, Bakugo closed his eyes and wrapped his arms a little tighter around Uraraka, feeling the hot water trickle over his body and wash his dark feelings away in the sanctuary of her presence, while Uraraka grinned into his neck, beyond relieved to have this boy here with her instead of in a morgue. The color returned to her cheeks the same moment that Bakugo fully acknowledged what she meant to him.

It wasn't much, but it was enough. They were alive, both of them. That was all they could ever ask for.

* * *

A/N: Here, have some Kacchako angst because I'm so deep in this stupid ship that it's driving me nuts and this is the only way I can keep myself sane. I'm supposed to be working on my Fairy Tail story but this wouldn't leave me alone. I wrote this when I was a little drunk on wine, so I'm not super satisfied with the ending or some of the details. Sorry in advance .

EDIT: This has been edited for content.

As always, read, reveiw, and enjoy!


	2. Relapse

24 hours passed by in a blur for Uraraka.

They separated her from Bakugo, for their own safety. If either of them were still radioactive, at least the other wouldn't be affected. She had been reluctant to leave his side, despite understanding the risks. But all it took was one look from him and a reassuring nod, and she somehow knew that things would be alright. It was strange, knowing he was in the room right next to her, but still feeling so far away from him. He had looked so tired and worn down, the same as her. But no matter how tired she became as the minutes grew into hours, she couldn't find the urge to sleep. It was hard to tell time without windows or clocks. Every couple of hours - or at least what felt like it - a nurse in a hazmat suit would come in to check her vitals. But she was too lost in her thoughts to pay them any heed.

It still scared her, their little brush with death.

Uraraka hugged the pillow to her chest, thoughts replaying the past day over and over again against her will. Running through those dark, concrete halls looking for Bakugo to warn him, hoping against hope that she would make it before something bad happened, and even more so that he would listen to her. Sprinting like her life depended on it, a feeling in her gut that Bakugo's life depended on it. Uraraka felt her heart rate spike, just like it had when she had rounded that corner and saw Bakugo's back. She had called out his name, but he ignored her. A growing sense of danger had tingled up her spine, and in her mad rush, all she cared about was getting to him in time. To warn him, to stop him, to do _something_ \- because if her hero training had given her anything, it was an instinct to know when something felt wrong. When she grabbed his shoulder, and he had yanked that door open, Uraraka would never have imagined just how right she was.

The sound had been deafening. Everything went white.

She had been too late.

Or so she had thought, as she laid dazed in the aftermath of the explosion. But then Bakugo found her, carried her, and though her limbs and mind were too weak to fully comprehend what was going on at first, she knew he had saved her. He was alive.

And yet, for some reason, Uraraka was filled with regret.

With a sigh, Uraraka flopped over onto her side and buried her face into the pillow that she clutched to her chest. She was much calmer now, her emotions much less riled than when they had first arrived. Her worry, fear, and guilt weren't eating away at her as much. Bakugo had helped with that, which was a pleasant surprise. She needed to be sure to thank him, Uraraka thought, when the two of them got out... whenever that was. Closing her eyes, Uraraka could swear that she could still feel Bakugo's strong arms around her, comforting her, reassuring her that he was alright. It made her stomach and face warm just thinking about it.

The door to her room opened, and Uraraka looked up to see the young doctor that saw her and Bakugo through the decontamination process step in. He wasn't wearing a hazmat suit. That must have been a good sign.

"Hi there." The doctor grinned widely at Uraraka as he sat down on the bed next to her. "How are you feeling?"

Uraraka sat up and tried her best to give the doctor a gentle smile. "Fine. Guess I'm still a little tired."

The doctor gave a small chuckle. "Yes. I imagine you are. From what I hear, you've had a pretty long day."

Understatement of the year, Uraraka thought.

"Well, I have some good news for you," the doctor said happily. "It's been 24 hours, and I can confidently say that you aren't having an adverse affect to the radiation. You're going to be just fine - which, I have to say, is surprising, considering how close you were to the detonation. But you're free to go home now, Ms. Uraraka. Would you like me to call you're parents for you?"

Strange as it was, but Uraraka wasn't too surprised to hear that she was radiation free. Come to think of it, Bakugo's body had mostly shielded her from the explosion. It was only when she was blasted away from him and the ceiling came crumbling down on her that she was in the most danger. But... what did that mean for him?

"I'll make my own way home, thank you. But, before that..." Uraraka bit her lip. "What about Bakugo? How is he?"

"The boy that came in with you?" The doctor clarified. When she nodded, his smile suddenly didn't seem so happy. "Ah, well... I suppose I should tell you."

Uraraka felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"We'll be keeping him here for a little while longer. Mr. Bakugo has a mild case of radiation poisoning, I'm afraid." The look on Uraraka's face must have concerned the doctor, and he continued quickly. "It's nothing too serious - he was feeling nauseous and started throwing up, so we gave him some antibiotics and put him on a blood transfusion. He's sleeping through it right now, but he'll be fine."

Uraraka didn't really know what radiation did to the human body, but she knew it wasn't good. She had felt weak and nauseous right after the explosion as well, but it had subsided within a couple of hours. Thinking back, Bakugo did looked drained and tired after his shower, with dark circles under his eyes and a little bit of a sway to his gait - but she had just thought that was because of how long they had been awake. Uraraka's fists clenched the pillow tighter, because she should have known that something was wrong, and it pained her that she hadn't done anything for him while she had the chance, that she had been caught up in her own feelings to notice his. She should have known, dammit.

"Can I see him?" Uraraka spoke the words without thinking about it. "...please?"

The doctor gave her a questioning look, one that Uraraka wasn't sure how to answer. But the man's kind smile returned after a few moments, and he stood from the bed, extending his hand out to her.

"Yes, you can," the doctor replied. "But we'll need to check you out first, okay?"

Out in the hallway, where there were windows, Uraraka could see that it was dark outside. Though she still wasn't entirely sure what time it was, but if she had to guess, it must have been early in the morning. Since her costume had been burned, and she didn't have any other clothes on hand, Uraraka was allowed to keep the scrubs she wore. As the doctor guided her through the hospital and through the check out process, her mind brewed with thoughts of the other boy. Bakugo always gave one-hundred percent to everything he did - he never let sickness or injury hold him back. To imagine him laid low was nigh on impossible. There was no stopping the indomitable Katsuki Bakugo, not even a nuclear explosion. It was who he was, it was what she admired most about him.

They gave her a mask to wear, and with unsteady feet carrying her, Uraraka stepped into Bakugo's darkened room. Only a single security light in the corner allowed her to see the condition of the boy who had saved her.

Bakugo's brow had a thin layer of sweat. His breathing was slow and deep, though every now and then a small groan would escape his lips. The scrubs he wore were likewise damp around his chest, the blanket covers kicked nearly all the way off in his efforts to keep cool. His hands gripped the mattress weakly, like he was having a bad dream. But his face wasn't scrunched up and he didn't toss. It was hard to tell, but Uraraka knew that Bakugo was in pain. Even while sleeping, Uraraka thought, he still doesn't allow his weakness to show. The sight of him in such a state brought tears to her eyes as she made her way towards his bedside. Standing over him, Uraraka's hand drifted down to lay over his, the warmth of his skin was both startling and reassuring. But... he definitely hadn't been this hot back in the van. He didn't react to her touch in the slightest, and that only seemed to spur Uraraka's tears more.

"You can stay as long as you like," the doctor said behind her. She had forgotten he was there. "Just let me know when you're done - and if anything changes, please let someone know about it right away."

"Yes, of course." Uraraka mumbled behind her paper mask. With that, the doctor departed, closing the door behind him and leaving the two of them in twilight.

He was lying so still... he looked like he was dead.

Uraraka stifled a sob as she fell into a chair that a nurse must have left by his bedside. Her thumb slipped under his palm, where his sweat was most prominent.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was muffled and strained. "If only I had gotten to you sooner. Then... the two of us would he home right now."

She wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn't, worried she might wake up the sleeping boy. It was pointless to dwell on the past like this, Uraraka told herself. What happened, happened. No amount of "if only"'s were going to change that. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Uraraka tried to quell her emotions. The quiet of the room seemed to make her heart pound abnormally loud. But the feeling of failure still lingered, making her chest tight. In the space between her thoughts, Uraraka noticed that the boy was stirring.

Bakugo gulped in his sleep, his Adam's apple bobbing. Watching him sleep was starting to remind Uraraka just how tired she was, as well. Folding her other arm under her chin, she laid her head on the bed next to Bakugo's. Releasing a tired sigh, Uraraka stared up at his face, darkened by shadows. There was no denying that Bakugo was a handsome young man - his face was nearly symmetrical, there wasn't and ounce of excess fat anywhere on his body, and he had a jawline for miles. Uraraka chuckled softly, finding it funny that such a beautiful person could have such an ugly personality.

But that wasn't always the case. Uraraka knew that all too well. When it came to her, Bakugo always acted in ways that no one expected. The same could be said of her, really. Whenever she was around Bakugo, Uraraka behaved differently. She didn't know why, either. Uraraka's mind started to drift off, her thoughts shifting lazily from one to the next. Eyes half-lidded, her gaze settled on Bakugo's pale lips. And then... when she had thought that he might be in danger... she had run off on her own, leaving Deku and her classmates behind with nothing but a shouted name. She didn't think, only reacted - which was something Bakugo would have done. That was it, Uraraka realized. When she was around Bakugo, she acted more like him. In the same way that being near Deku changed her personality to match his. Through the haze of Uraraka's exhausted mind, a small spark of apprehension suddenly made things a little clearer. Did that mean that she had feelings for Bakugo, too?

Bakugo inhaled sharply, the sudden motion startling Uraraka into awareness. In her half-sleep, she had lost track of time. Bakugo's head swayed back and forth slowly. Standing from her chair, Uraraka stood over Bakugo, unsure if he was waking up or possibly having some sort of fit. Should she call a nurse? His hand suddenly gripped her thumb a little tighter. Bakugo coughed once, twice, and groaned lowly.

"Please wake up." Uraraka found herself pleading. It was unbearable to see him like this. "Please, just wake up."

Bakugo settled, his breathing evened out and it seemed like he wasn't going to wake. Then his eyelids cracked open. His red eyes seemed to glow, catching what little light there was as he immediately locked gazes with Uraraka. She felt her heart pick up pace, and she smiled for the first time in what felt like a long time. Her hand squeezed Bakugo's reassuringly, both for him and herself.

"Hey, Bakugo," she said softly. Her voice pulled him further out of sleep. "It's me, Pink Cheeks, remember?"

Uraraka watched as awareness came back to Bakugo, who never took his eyes off of her. His face was unreadable, and she wasn't sure if he was happy to see her or angry.

"Let me see..." Bakugo's voice was a whisper. His other hand slowly reached up towards her face, hand shaking. "I need to see..."

His warm fingers touched her cheek, sending a shock through her body. Standing perfectly still, Bakugo hooked his finger behind Uraraka's paper mask and gently slid it down her face. Releasing it under her chin, Uraraka tried her best not to let her blush go out of control. But when his hand traveled up again, cupping the edge of her jaw in his palm while his thumb gently brushed over her cheek, she couldn't tell whether the heat she felt came from him or her.

"Ah... there you are, Uraraka." Bakugo grinned. It was weak, but it was still that same trademark Bakugo grin that Uraraka had come to love.

Tears welled in her eyes, but this time, they were tears of joy. Uraraka couldn't help the lopsided smile that spread across her lips as she leaned her head into his hand. She started to tremble from the urge to throw her arms around him, to be as close to him as possible.

"Yeah," she sniffed, "I'm here."

Giving in, Uraraka dropped down onto Bakugo's chest, her free hand sliding up along his side. Bakugo naturally adjusted his hand from her face to the back of her head, letting out a sigh of relief. His breath tickled her hair. The pounding of Bakugo's heart against her cheek was soothing, confirming that he was okay. He smelled like a campfire left to smolder. Taking a deep breath, Uraraka closed her eyes and allowed herself to be comforted. Did she have feelings for Bakugo? Possibly. But that didn't matter now. Squeezing his hand, Uraraka grinned as her tears finally fell and soaked into his scrubs. He squeezed her hand back, a soft moan of content rumbling his chest. As oddly intimate as all this was between the two of them, neither of them could find it in themselves to care. With everything that had happened, they deserved to be a little selfish in this way.

Uraraka continued to smile, satisfied by the fact that she wouldn't be leaving the hospital alone.

* * *

A/N: Hey! So I added one more chapter, because I really felt like this needed a happy ending, and I wanted to try writing from Uraraka's point of view. It was harder than Bakugo's, so I hope I did her justice. I actually do have a longer story in mind for these two, so you haven't seen the last of me! Thank you to everyone who reviewed!

In case any of you were wondering, the cover image is mine, too.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	3. Treament

It had been four days since the explosion.

Three days since they had left the hospital.

Bakugo and Uraraka never talked about it.

They were back in class, and if one were to look at the two of them, they would have thought that the whole incident had never happened. The only ones who seemed the most affected by the occurrence were the ones who weren't even there - their classmates. There wasn't a single half-hour period that passed by without one of Uraraka's friends asking her how she was doing. Her smiling muscles were beginning to grow sore with overuse. Bakugo, in a similar position, couldn't seem to find himself alone at any point during the daylight hours. Someone, whether it be Kirishima or Kaminari - or hell, even Todoroki once - someone was always by his side, keeping a silent watch over him. He didn't know if they were waiting for him to break down in tears or something, but it was getting really fucking annoying. If his class ever noticed that his outbursts had grown less in number, then they didn't say anything.

Deku only approached him once, just to say that he was glad that Kacchan was okay in a stiff, clipped tone. Bakugo couldn't find it in himself to be insulted enough to tell him off. Then he had done a quick turn around and headed straight back to his own vigil over Uraraka. Bakugo watched them leave together, watched as her smile sprang up only when he came near, then faded just as quickly when he looked away. More than anything, Bakugo wished he could talk to her, to know if she was feeling what he felt, going through the same turmoil that he was. But he couldn't. And it sure as hell wasn't because he was afraid. But not knowing whether she despised him or not was the worst part for Bakugo.

The worst part for Uraraka was when night fell. She left her lights on, lest the darkness crumble down on her like the ceiling had. She only felt comfortable asking one person to stay with her... but, unfortunately, he wasn't an option. But during the day, she really was fine. That's what she told herself and everybody else, and it worked. With her friends around her, it was easier for her to pretend, easier to forget what she had been through. It might not have been the best way to heal from a near-death-experience, but she couldn't spend all her time in a therapist's office and to be honest, she preferred it this way. Now, if only her friends would leave her be.

But the truth of the matter was, she wasn't fine. Neither of them were.

That didn't become apparent until the night of the thunder storm. Lightning had struck the dorms, knocking the power out. The sudden darkness had awoken her, a rush of adrenaline making her shoot up in the bed. The resounding, deafening crack of thunder made her scream, kicking against the bed until her back slammed against the wall. Huffing as the thunder rolled away, Uraraka gulped. It's just thunder, she reminded herself. Her eyes drifted out the windows, to the rain pounding against the glass, and the small bursts of white lightning off in the distance. Her heart rate refused to go down, and with each shot of thunder, flashes of fire and pain burst behind Uraraka's eyes. She clapped her hands over her head and whimpered, desperately willing herself to calm down. But it was hopeless. Peeking up through her elbows, Uraraka wearily looked out the window one last time.

There, on the same level as her in the tower across from her, was a figure standing in a window. Through the water running down the window, it was difficult to make out who it was, but the proximity of the two towers let her make out certain details. Details like the white flash of teeth as they opened their mouth to scream. Uraraka had a feeling she would only need one guess.

The next day was brutal. Though the rain had stopped and left the world glittering and fresh, Uraraka hadn't managed to fall back asleep at all. Smiling was harder, laughing impossible. If she had bags under her eyes, then none of her classmates pointed them out. But Iida and Deku were definitely gentler with her than they would have been any other day. They could all tell that something had gone wrong during the night. The thunder might have covered up her scream, but there was nothing to cover up the red puffiness from her tears. Everybody had a suspicion, but none were brave enough to voice them. Even Aizawa, a man who was usually indifferent to his students' drama, was careful with his tone, as if he was afraid Uraraka might break down in tears if he was too loud or harsh. What's more was that Bakugo seemed to be in a similar state, which further confirmed their suspicions.

He slouched in his chair more then he usually did. His eyelids drooped, but Bakugo never lost awareness. The darkness under his eyes and below his chin seemed more prominent. No one tried to talk to him, but that was partly because they didn't know what to say. He couldn't care - for him, it had seemed like he had gone completely numb. Kirishima and Sero would often glance over at him, see him spacing out when he should have been writing notes, and then share grim looks with each other. It hurt to see him and Uraraka like this. Their two classmates were like shattered figures that had sloppily been glued back together again. One touch, and they might fall to pieces once more.

The day wore on. Lessons came to a close, and the students of class 1-A set about their chores.

"Go ahead and go home, Uraraka." Midorya said before she could do anything. Looking up at him, Uraraka forced her lips into the smallest smile.

"It's alright, Deku, I can-"

"Uraraka, please."

Iida was the one who had cut in. He came up from behind, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. His eyes, still serious and ambitious as always, now held a sincere gentleness that she had never seen. With a light squeeze, Iida narrowed his eyes as Midorya spoke once more.

"We'll take care of everything." Deku smiled softly, and her heart faintly fluttered. "And then come and visit you later, if that's alright."

Uraraka looked between the two, overwhelmed with gratefulness to have such wonderful friends. But a part of her knew that if she went back to her room, she wasn't going to lay down and get any rest. She wasn't ready to seclude herself to her thoughts, and a sense of duty to herself and her class held on by threads in her mind.

"I'm serious, guys, it's okay."

A third shadow crept over her other shoulder, this one taller and darker. "Let's go already, Pink Cheeks."

Midorya and Iida looked up, their expressions concerned. When she twisted to look up at Bakugo, she saw her own eyes reflected back at her. His pale skin and red-rimmed eyes resonated with her, and an understanding passed between them. A coded message that only she could decipher. _We need to talk._ After hesitating for only a moment, Uraraka nodded and packed her things. The others watched her and Bakugo leave the classroom together, thoughts swimming with concern and questions.

Instead of turning left to head to the stairwell that would lead out of the school and to the dorms, Bakugo took a right, towards the interior of the school. Uraraka followed him without a word , her chin dipped and her eyes trained to the back of his head. Their footsteps echoed hollowly off of the walls. When he opened the door to the emergency access stairwell and began climbing the steps, she knew exactly where they were going.

The air was cool and humid, the sky tinted orange by the evening sun. Half-evaporated puddles of water cast perfect reflections, littering the rooftop with pools of lava. Bakugo walked to the middle of the roof and dropped his backpack to the ground, letting the cold air wash over his heated body. If Bakugo didn't know any better, he would have thought that he had a fever. But he did know better, and he was in perfect health. The girl behind him closed the door lightly and stepped toward him. She was more reserved than she usually was. Watching him quietly, Bakugo and Uraraka stood for a while in silence. It was a comfortable silence, though. Neither of them felt any pressure to speak. Bakugo gathered his thoughts, unsure of how to say what he wanted to.

"You look like shit," he said without really meaning to. A great start. Looking at her over his shoulder, Bakugo was afraid she might start crying. But she didn't. Of course she didn't.

Uraraka smirked, also letting her backpack fall to the roof as well. The angle of the sun cast one side of her face into shadow, but both of her eyes were tinted in a glowing shade of amber that reminded Bakugo of honey. A smile stuck to her lips as she stepped up to him, but her eyebrows were scrunched together in worry.

"About as well as you are, I'd say." Her playful demeanor was nearly convincing. Another stretch of quiet followed, and Bakugo was painfully aware of how close she was to him. Just out of his arm's reach, but close enough to make out the bags under her eyes. Uraraka was gazing at the setting sun, her eyes half-lidded with a lazy grin. She probably could have fallen asleep right on the spot. Instead, she continued speaking. "Have you talked to anybody about what happened?"

Bakugo sneered. "What's there to talk about? We almost got blown up, but we lived. End of story."

Uraraka quirked her lips and sighed through her nose. "You make it sound so simple."

Bakugo rounded on her. "Because it is that simple! It doesn't have to get any more complicated than that, so don't even try!"

"I'm not trying anything." Her voice became softer and she stepped closer to him, within his reach and close enough to ignite the fire in Bakugo's chest. "But... I've seen the way you flinch whenever someone slams a book on their desk, or bangs on a door. I do it, too. Bakugo we-"

"We _what?_ " The boy was shouting now, and even he wasn't entirely sure why. "We almost _died_?! You said that already! Look me in the eyes, Uraraka - do I look dead to you?"

Uraraka was suddenly inches away from his face. Her smile was gone, eyes fully open as she peered up at him and into his soul. He could feel the warmth of her breath, his reflexes screaming at him to back away. But he stood his ground and stared back at her, a small fear that she would see right through him tightening his throat. But at the same time, her closeness was comforting, and he had to fight the urge to lay his head on her shoulder. Uraraka took a deep breath, watching Bakugo's features soften as he got used to her presence and lowered his guard. The hollows under his eyes darkened, but his red irises seemed to emit their own light. The boy looked like he really needed a hug.

"Why did you bring me up here, Bakugo?" She breathed. "What did you want to talk about?"

For a long while, Bakugo didn't respond. Uraraka could see the warring thoughts behind his gaze, the struggle between saying what he wanted to say or dismissing her all together. Patiently, Uraraka waited for him, hoping her expression was giving him the right encouragement. Slowly, Bakugo's face started to match his thoughts. A slight frown tugged at his lips and his eyebrows broke their steep angle to turn up. When he spoke, Uraraka was surprised to hear how uncertain he was.

"I... I don't know..." This was the first time since the hospital that she had heard him talk so quietly. "I can't... I'm not..."

Her fingers reached out and touched his. The contact made him ball his hand into a fist, but he didn't pull away. The soft pads of Uraraka's fingertips were cool against his hot skin. His eyes never left hers. It seemed like the thunder storm from last night had returned in her heart, and there was nothing she could do to clear the skies. Uraraka wasn't really sure what was happening, but there was one thing that she did know - they needed to help each other. In this moment, they needed each other in order to move forward. In order to heal.

"Do you hate me, Uraraka?"

His uncertainty was gone, but his fist trembled underneath her hand. His face was set somewhere between a glare and a plea, and Uraraka wasn't sure which one she preferred. His question had caught her completely by surprise, causing her to hesitate. She almost pulled her hand away, but his fingers relaxed and he was pressing his shakey, sweaty palm into the tips of her fingers, the warmth of it matching the warmth that was blooming on her cheeks. Now, Uraraka understood. This was why he had never talked to her, why he had distanced himself when he so clearly needed just the opposite. She should have known, Uraraka thought as a smile crept back onto her lips. He blamed himself for something that wasn't his fault. It had been her choice to follow Bakugo into that room, and she would willingly do it again. With a small huff of laughter, Uraraka shook her head.

"No, Bakugo. Never. Not in a million years."

In the blink of an eye, Bakugo closed the gap between the two of them. His top lip slipped into the space between hers, head tilted to the right and hot breath washing over her face. His eyes were still open, and he seemed just as surprised as she was. Uraraka could already feel him beginning to pull away. But she reacted on instinct before he could. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head to align with his and reached up her other hand to lay on his elbow. Bakugo hesitated... and then slide his warm hand along the side of her ribs, wrapping his arm around her back and pulling her closer. She could feel him relax into her, deepening the kiss and sending her soaring. For the first time in a long time, Uraraka felt that things really were going to be okay.

The already colorful world made by the setting sun seemed to become even more beautiful. Bakugo had never experienced a closeness such as this - and he wanted more. Like he was lost in the desert and had found a hidden oasis, or stuck in a blizzard and stumbled upon a roaring bonfire. It wasn't just the taste of her lips, either - subtly sweet, like fresh water from a forest spring - but also the feeling of her body against his, just like when he had carried her from the rubble. His eyes slid shut lazily. Uraraka was still smiling against him, her hand slipping behind his neck where the heat of her body spread through him like an infection, contaminating him once more. If Bakugo really was getting sick, then he didn't want to find a cure. The raging storm of his mind that had plagued him for days subsided, his doubt and anxiety dripping away like water off of a stone. He was finally warm when he didn't even know he had been cold.

The funny thing about life is that it goes on. Sometimes we fall behind, and it's never our fault. It can be hard to catch up, though. To press the pause button, catch our breaths, bring ourselves back together, and rush back to everything like nothing ever happened. For some, however, when we fall behind... we stay behind. It seems that no matter how hard we try to catch up, the finish line moves farther away. It's easy to give up, to accept our lot and continue to keep everything on hold, only to succeed in falling farther behind. Finding the courage to continue this crazy race we call living is difficult - but not impossible.

Though it took a while, Bakugo and Uraraka had finally started the road to recovery, to catching back up. From here on out, it didn't matter what happened next, what other hurtles were waiting for them in the future. For better or for worse, the two of them were in this together.

* * *

A/N: I mainly wrote this chapter for two reasons: one being that I wanted to, and the other being that I don't write a lot of romance and this was good practice. I wouldn't expect another chapter after this, but I said that last time and here we are. So, you never know haha. I hope you guys like it!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


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